1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns decorative panels and more particularly concerns a laminate of textile materials having a decorative fabric surface.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Prior to my invention, multi-layerd textile fabrics such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,307,990 were employed as a substrate for fabric faced laminates, useful as interior panels for automobiles. The fabric facing was adhered to the substrate by an interposed layer of an adhesive or glue. These prior art laminate panels were not completely satisfactory for a number of reasons related to their structural stability and particularly in regard to their ability to resist delamination.
The panels of the present invention exhibit a high degree of structural stability and are highly resistant to delamination. In addition, the panels of the invention exhibit a high degree of impact resistance while maintaining resiliency. They are esthetically acceptable and pleasing in appearance. The panels of the invention are also economical to manufacture making them highly desirable commercially. The elimination of the use of glues and adhesives in manufacture is also an advantage, eliminating the hazards of solvents associated with glues and adhesives.
In comparison to prior art panel materials of polymeric resins, the panels of the present invention are advantageous in that they are relatively non-volatile, producing few gases which can condense and deposit on surfaces nearby their installation, for example in an automobile. This phenomena has been observed in recent years and is considered a serious drawback to the use of certain polymeric resin panels in automobile interiors.